New York S 9874: Enacts the HOPE pilot program; appropriation

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S09874 Summary:

BILL NOS09874 

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SAME ASNo Same As

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SPONSORWEBB

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COSPNSR

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MLTSPNSR

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Add §98, Soc Serv L

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Enacts the HOPE pilot program; allows households to apply for multiple food and anti-poverty benefits simultaneously online and enable families to work with nonprofit and government agencies to enact action plans to boost their long-term self-sufficiency.

Go to top S09874 Actions:

BILL NOS09874 

&nbsp

04/09/2026REFERRED TO FINANCE

Go to topS09874 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS09874 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS09874 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 9874

 IN SENATE

 April 9, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. WEBB -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance

 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to enacting the
 HOPE pilot program; and making an appropriation therefor

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section
 2 98 to read as follows:
 3 § 98. HOPE pilot program. 1. As used in this section the following
 4 terms shall have the following meanings:
 5 a. "Commissioners" means the commissioner of the office of temporary
 6 and disability assistance and the commissioner of health, acting colla-
 7 boratively.
 8 b. "Eligible pilot community" means a unit of general purpose local
 9 government, Indian tribal organization, or an entity that represents a
 10 smaller geographical area therein including but not limited to a neigh-
 11 borhood.
 12 c. "Target population" means and includes any individual or household
 13 that:
 14 (i) their income is below two hundred percent of the federal poverty
 15 level;
 16 (ii) suffers from food insecurity;
 17 (iii) earns insufficient income to ensure food security or economic
 18 security;
 19 (iv) lives in a rural, suburban or urban community that suffers from
 20 poverty, hunger or food insecurity;
 21 (v) is homeless;
 22 (vi) receives assistance from a state program funded under title IV-A
 23 of the federal social security act, relating to temporary assistance to
 24 needy families;
 25 (vii) is eligible for benefits under any federal or state nutrition
 26 assistance program or federal or state antipoverty program; or
 27 (viii) is formerly a youth in transition from foster care or the juve-
 28 nile detention facilities.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD07120-01-5

 S. 9874 2

 1 d. "Partner not-for-profit organization" means any national, regional,
 2 state, or local not-for-profit organization described in section
 3 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code which has tax
 4 exempt status under section 501(a) of such code.
 5 e. "Unit of general purpose local government" means any city, county,
 6 town, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state, or any
 7 combination thereof, which has a building code or similar authority over
 8 a particular geographic area of the state.
 9 2. a. The commissioners shall allow eligible entities that apply to
 10 such commissioners to carry out health, opportunity, and personal empow-
 11 erment ("HOPE") accounts pilot projects to enable target populations of
 12 individuals to establish through banks, credit unions, and any govern-
 13 mental or Indian tribal organizations, HOPE accounts that enable such
 14 individuals to:
 15 (i) have their paychecks deposited directly in such accounts;
 16 (ii) use such accounts to increase savings that would be matched with
 17 funds provided by government and private sources, including individual
 18 development accounts;
 19 (iii) use an account mobile application on a smart phone to easily
 20 locate and sign up for job training and placement services online;
 21 (iv) enable such individuals to use any smart phone, tablet or comput-
 22 er to:
 23 (A) to learn about the public and philanthropic programs that provide
 24 benefits to such individuals, including aid to improve health, nutri-
 25 tion, job training and placement, housing, and income;
 26 (B) to re